Nightmare
by Lock Owl
Summary: Young Estel has a bad dream and Elrond comforts him.


Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any recognizable characters and/or places.  
  
Author's Note: I was feeling really depressed and I wanted to write something happy, and this was the result. Hope you enjoy my little poem!  
  
*****  
  
I'm far from home and all alone,  
  
This shouting chills me to the bone,  
  
In my hands is a sword of power,  
  
There it has been many a-hour,  
  
Many foes have I dispelled,  
  
Many demons have I felled.  
  
Ugly creatures come at me,  
  
I'm not who I ought to be,  
  
I'm not little like I recall,  
  
So lanky if I take one step I'll fall.  
  
Looking around I see that there are others here,  
  
Are they brave? Do they share my fear?  
  
I can feel my knees so weak,  
  
I am a warrior but so meek,  
  
If anything targets me I shall die,  
  
I want to bury my head and cry.  
  
I hear a shout from not far off,  
  
And the creature a head does doff.  
  
It was my brother, once ago,  
  
I cradle his body as his blood does flow.  
  
Now my sorrow I cannot restrain,  
  
Step by step my ground I gain,  
  
Creature after creature I destroy,  
  
Every ounce of strength I employ.  
  
Elladan was killed, and Elrohir, too,  
  
But somehow I made it through.  
  
There's no where to go now, no one to see,  
  
No home, no rest, no love for me.  
  
I want to just lay down and let leave  
  
Ever thing that makes me grieve.  
  
I wish the world would go on past,  
  
Not make this suffering sorrow last.  
  
Suddenly a scream I hear,  
  
Loud and burning in my ear.  
  
From my own throat that sound does come,  
  
Nails to chalkboard and then some.  
  
Sitting up I look around  
  
I am too close to the ground.  
  
In the dream I was so tall  
  
Now I do no fear to fall.  
  
That I see now was untrue,  
  
But did my brothers too pull through?  
  
Tears burn tracks along my face,  
  
Shouting fills the empty space.  
  
If I don't shout it might come a second time,  
  
A night-terror so sublime  
  
I truly thought it to be real,  
  
Pain and anguish I did feel.  
  
My brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, died,  
  
I found their passing hard to abide.  
  
Somehow I knew that Ada was gone, as well.  
  
Alone in the world, a world of deeds so fell.  
  
I was too old in my dream for tears,  
  
But I am now young enough for night-fears.  
  
"Estel, Estel," someone calls my name. "Estel, stop crying, it is all right,  
  
"It was just a terror of the night."  
  
Slowly then I rub my eyes,  
  
And I find to my surprise,  
  
I am in my bed in my home, not the wild on my own,  
  
I am not some wandering Ranger lone.  
  
It occurs to me what has transpired,  
  
And those events shame have inspired.  
  
I look at my hands as my face turns red,  
  
I trace a design made out of thread.  
  
"Sorry, Ada," I make myself atone,  
  
"I had a dream I was alone.  
  
"You and Elladan and Elrohir were no more,  
  
"And for me terrible things were in store!"  
  
My tears have begun to fall again,  
  
As they will do now and then,  
  
For am I am a child, a boy just over five,  
  
But it feels so much younger that I wish I weren't alive!  
  
How could a boy as old as me,  
  
Cry of a childlike fantasy?  
  
"In the dream I had no place to return to,"  
  
I try to make my tears seem due.  
  
"My dream. . .it scared me very bad,  
  
"That is why I woke so sad!  
  
"There were creatures and they killed my brothers,  
  
"I wished so bad not to let them harm others!  
  
"I killed them--" I could not continue, and broke into an all-out wail,  
  
"I killed the creatures, and, angry, I did fail,  
  
"My brothers were gone, their lives already took,  
  
"I am a failure in anyone's book!"  
  
In shame and self-pity I buried my head,  
  
Covered by my pillow and the sheets of my bed.  
  
"Come now, Estel, you are not at fault here,  
  
"Just for having a dream so queer!  
  
"We all are afraid to lose those we love,  
  
"And wish to protect the place we are of."  
  
"But it my dream. . .it was my fault!  
  
"I could have made those creatures halt!"  
  
"No, Estel, that you could not have done,  
  
"This is a childish web you've spun,  
  
"For some things happen and cannot be rewritten  
  
"Though they make us feel frightened or weak as a kitten,  
  
"Look at what you still have left!  
  
"Of your family you are not bereft."  
  
Then from my head I moved my sheets,  
  
"Must I suffer such great defeats?"  
  
I am afraid of what he will say,  
  
That I may then see as clear as day  
  
That every person in life must endure  
  
And keep a heart so good and pure.  
  
"I cannot do this, Ada!" I exclaim,  
  
"I cannot play in this cruel game!  
  
"If there is no where I may find foundation,  
  
"I shall succumb to disorientation.  
  
"I shall not be able to persist,  
  
"The forces of evil I will not resist.  
  
"Without a home, Ada, who can be strong?  
  
"I know I could not go on for long."  
  
"Estel," said Ada, "come with me, please."  
  
My feet hit the floor and I thought they would freeze.  
  
Was I in trouble? Had I done something corrupt?  
  
I hoped that this would be rather abrupt.  
  
Outside the air was incredibly cold,  
  
It seemed the temperature dropped a hundred-fold.  
  
"Come, Estel, take my hand,  
  
"Against all evil you will take a stand,  
  
"Against all corruption you will remain pure,  
  
"Imladris is your home, my son, now anything endure.  
  
"See there, the star that is over-bright?"  
  
I looked up and saw that Ada was right,  
  
The star shone brighter than the rest,  
  
"It is a contest and that one is best,"  
  
I said without thinking, then was quiet once more.  
  
"Looking there, stars three and four,  
  
"Form the figure of a drinking gourd.  
  
"From that star stiff as a board  
  
"Follow a line to the contest hero."  
  
And I looked and gasped out, "Oh!"  
  
Above Imladris the star shone direct,  
  
To these directions none could object,  
  
Always could I find this hollow,  
  
If the gourd and my heart I did follow. 


End file.
